If We Ever Meet Again
by cwesthawk
Summary: Inspired somewhat by the Timbaland/Katy Perry song of the same name, this story details events five years after Kim Possible fails to save Ron Stoppable and Shego from an exploding volcano. This is slightly AU-ish insomuch the fact that the pivotal event of the story occurs after So the Drama but before Graduation, so the events in Graduation never occurred.


**Note: **I'm not usually fond of "alternative pairings" for Kim and Shego, but this story forced itself into my head while I was listening to... believe it or not... Timbaland's and Katy Perry's _If We Ever Meet Again_. It's a rather long story for a one shot, but I guaran-damn-tee that this _is_ a one-shot. No "road trip stories" for this one. It also bears noting that this story is slightly AU insomuch the fact that the pivotal event in this story occurred before the events of _Graduation_, so the events of _Graduation _never occurred.

**KIM POSSIBLE: IF WE EVER MEET AGAIN**

_I'll never be the same  
If we ever meet again  
Won't let you get away  
Said, if we ever meet again_

-Timbaland/Katy Perry, "If We Ever Meet Again"

* * *

Kim Possible slammed back what was probably the fifth or sixth shot of vodka within the last hour. She ignored the insistent thrumming of the dubstep music blaring behind her or the mind-numbing cacophony of strobe and laser lights that provided the only illumination in the building that served for a popular Miami, Florida, night club. She allowed the warm buzz to settle into her system before she breathed in a deep sigh.

"Taking in some liquid courage?" the bartender, an attractive African-American woman with tattoos covering her arms and shoulders, asked as she took the shot glass and began to wash it.

"If you only knew," Kim breathed, glancing to one side rather than at the bartender. "It's been five years. I should be over it already."

"But you're not," the bartender ventured. "Because he was that important to you."

"He was my best friend, God damn it!" Kim hissed, motioning for another shot. "And we had just confessed our feelings for each other. Then... _it _happened."

The bartender nodded knowingly. This was the world famous Kim Possible. It was no big secret what it was of which she spoke. A couple of months into her senior year of high school, Kim and her boyfriend and 'sidekick,' Ron Stoppable, had been raiding one of Dr. Drakken's lairs. The lair had been set into a dormant volcano and Drakken's doomsday device had made it active. In the resulting explosion, Kim and Dr. Drakken had been able to escape.

Ron and Dr. Drakken's sidekick, Shego, had not.

While Kim had eventually recruited the ninja, Yori, as her new partner on Team Possible, it just wasn't the same. Admittedly, Kim and Yori had become an even greater threat to evil than ever before. But both Kim and Yori missed Ron horribly. His memory never left their minds. Even after both of them finished college and pursued jobs (Yori as a martial arts instructor and Kim as a forensic scientist, both with contracts with Global Justice), their respective happiness was marred by Ron's passing.

Kim glanced at the shot of vodka that had just been put in front of her and sighed as she nursed the memory. She then quickly knocked back the shot.

"If you need to talk, I'm all ears," the bartender offered. "It might be better to talk than to drown yourself in that vodka."

Kim nodded. She knew the bartender was trying to talk sense into her. But she just wanted to drown her sorrow at the moment. So she simply motioned for another shot.

"I'm calling this your last one, Miss Possible," the bartender warned gently as she placed the shot in front of Kim. "Any more and you're likely to start puking your guts out."

Kim nodded. The buzz was well under way, so she knew the bartender was just looking out for her. She knocked back the shot and slammed the shot glass onto the counter.

"You might consider drowning the memories in some dancing," the bartender suggested. "This is a dance club, after all."

Kim nodded. That made sense. Perhaps losing herself in some music and dance would probably be better. She stood up and walked (with a slight stumble) onto the dance floor. She stood there for a few moments, nodding to the throbbing of the bass, until she got her body into the rhythm of the music and began moving. The alcohol blurred her mind, which Kim didn't mind, so she didn't pay too much attention to how her body was moving. She simply allowed the music to carry her mind and she put her body on autopilot.

In the middle of the second song, Kim accidentally slammed her hip into a nearby dancer. Kim stumbled back to mutter an apology and the words left her mouth as a series of slurs.

"It's okay, sweetie," the other dancer replied, just loud enough to be heard over the music. "All's fair in love and dan... Wow, you're wasted, aren't you?"

Kim bit her lip as she nodded dumbly at the other dancer. She was a beautiful woman with rich tan skin, dark brown hair, and the most provocative red mini dress. But what caught Kim's eyes most were the other dancer's eyes.

They were the most brilliant emerald green.

The dancer blinked and look at Kim's own olive eyes. "What is it? Is something wrong?" When Kim could only gawk into the dancer's eyes, the dancer smirked and her eyes turned more playful. "And what is someone like you doing in a place like this? Did you come alone or did you bring all of your friends?"

"Sh-Shego?" Kim finally breathed, staring wide-eyed at the dancer.

The dancer started to open her mouth to say something. But she reconsidered her words before actually speaking. "It's the eyes, isn't it?"

Kim simply nodded dumbly.

The dancer sighed and took Kim by the hand, leading her off of the dance floor. They approached a vacant table booth and the dancer motioned for Kim to sit down. The dancer than sat down opposite of her.

Kim continued to stare dumbly at the dancer while the dancer considered the redhead for several moments.

"How much have you had to drink?" the dancer finally asked.

"Um, nine or ten shots of vodka," Kim admitted. "In the last half hour or so. I think. So... so I might be seeing things. I could be wrong. I'm sorry for..."

"No, Pumpkin, you're fine," the dancer replied, reaching across the table to hold Kim's hands. "Well, except for those ten shots in such a short time. Damn, are you trying to kill yourself or something?"

Kim looked down and slightly away from dancer. "The thought's crossed my mind a couple of times."

The dancer, presumably Shego, responded with wide eyes at that statement. She stiffened slightly before she relaxed and gave Kim's hands a gentle squeeze.

"Don't think like that, Kimmie," Shego said, drawing Kim's eyes. "That incident at Doctor D's lair wasn't your fault. It was his dumb ass who blew up the volcano."

Kim looked Shego up and down for a moment. "Am I hallucinating? Maybe I had too much to drink."

"No, Cupcake, you're not hallucinating," Shego chuckled, shaking her head. "It's me and you really are talking to me. Admittedly, you're the only bitch on the planet who would have noticed my eyes and seen through my disguise."

"Your disguise," Kim repeated to herself, considering Shego's skin and hair. "How...?"

"An image inducer," Shego smirked, leaning back to show off her features. "One of Jack Hench's best inventions, in my not-so-humble opinion. It's let me live incognito for the last five years."

Kim blushed slightly as she admired Shego's image inducer laden body. Kim should have seen it before. This woman even had Shego's body—her curves, her hips, her breasts, everything—just with tanned skin rather than pale green skin.

"It... suits you," Kim managed to smile slightly as Shego smirked at her knowingly.

"Oh, my, Kimmie," Shego gasped dramatically. "Have you gone bi on me?"

Kim tried to muster up an indignant look, but only managed to look like a three-year-old about to throw a temper tantrum.

Shego leaned forward, purposely exposing an incredible amount of cleavage in the process. "Princess, don't get me wrong. I have nothing against that. I like making women jealous, so I can tell when someone is staring."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kim stammered, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

"Kimmie, calm down," Shego laughed, holding up both of her hands in front of her. "I'm being serious about not having anything against it. I'm flattered, in fact."

"Is it the image inducer, or...?" Kim began to ask.

"The skin tone is," Shego admitted. "But all these curves are all mine. If you want, you can fondle my breasts and see that they match the image perfectly."

Kim turned beet red at that suggestion and shook her head violently, much to Shego's delight. Shego leaned back and considered Kim for a moment.

"Care to dance some more, Kimmie," Shego asked, a more comfortable smile on her face. "It might do us both some good to catch up on old time. We can't fight here, but we can at least try to outdance each other. I won't blame you if you don't want to, though. We both know I'd win."

"I so got this," Kim smirked, standing up to accept the challenge. "You are so going down, Shego."

Kim stumbled as she stood, nearly falling on her face. This caused Shego to bust up laughing in the process.

* * *

"Thanks for getting us here safely, Ralph," Kim said as she and Shego stepped out of the cab in front of an apartment building.

The cabbie inside of the vehicle smiled and saluted the redhead. "Ain't no big thing, Kim. After you saved my daughter from that Dementor dickwad, it's the least I could do. You ladies stay safe, you hear?"

"Always," Kim smiled just before the cab pulled away.

"I'm not arguing against a free cab ride," Shego laughed as she approached the door to the apartment building.

"Bennies of being a helpful hero," Kim agreed, following Shego. Her buzz was still in full swing, but at least she had gotten a handle on walking without looking like a drunk. "His daughter is certified genius. Almost Wade-level. Dementor though he could tap into that. She actually helped me defeat him, after she finally got over herself. So, this building is your place?"

"Just the penthouse suite is," Shego replied as she unlocked the door. "I haven't been committing crimes for the last five years, just laying low and living a clean life. So I didn't want to get too extravagent."

Kim nodded. "I bet you're a lot more proud of this penthouse than you ever have been of all the things you stole."

As the two women stepped inside to the hallway, Shego laughed. "You don't know the half of it, Pumpkin. I've been using the image inducer to work a normal job, but it's legitimate income and it makes what I have feel more like it's mine. I'm glad you agreed to come up and see it."

"These five years have changed you," Kim said, looking at the ex-villainess. "You're softer. Less aggressive. Much... nicer."

"Almost dying in an exploding volcano tends to make you think about your life," Shego agreed. "I've been trying hard to live right for the last five years because of it."

As the ladies spoke, they took an elevator up twenty-four stories before exiting into the short hallway there. Shego stepped up to the doorway in front of them before beginning to pull out keys. Kim was right behind her.

"I bet you've got a lot of blacks and greens decorating this place," Kim joked, earning her a smirking glare from the ex-villainess.

"I would," Shego admitted. "But I'm not the only person living here."

"Oh?" Kim asked. "You have a roommate?"

"In a manner of speaking," Shego muttered mysteriously. "Listen, Kimmie, I need you to have an open mind for this. Can you do that for me?"

Kim considered Shego curiously as the ex-villainess unlocked her door and invited Kim inside. Kim nodded her agreement at Shego's request before stepping inside.

As the two women stepped inside, Shego took off her shoes and called into the apartment. "Honey, I'm home!"

"Welcome home, dear!" came a frighteningly familiar voice. "I just finished dinner. I also just put..."

A man rounded the corner from the direction of the kitchen. He halted suddenly as his light brown eyes met Kim's olive eyes.

"KP?" the blond man asked in a state of shock.

"Yeah, hun, I met her at the club," Shego explained. "So I invited her home. I hope you don't mind."

Kim was in a complete state of shock as she stared at the blond man in front of her. "Ron?"

Ron scratched the back of his head and shuffled his feet slightly. "Um, hi, KP."

"Um, hi, KP?" Shego scoffed as she crossed the hallway to a closet and slid off her longcoat. "Five years of building up your confidence and that's all you can muster when you finally meet your ex."

"A little warning would have been nice, dear," Ron smirked at the ex-villainess.

Kim glanced back and forth between Shego, who had just shut down her image inducer and revealed her true, green-hued appearance, and Ron.

"So, you two...?"

"Are alive and well," Shego finished, hanging up her coat. "And have been married for three years."

Kim's jaw dropped on that last part. "You... and Ron... married? You married my boyfriend? The guy you kept calling a buffoon and an idiot?"

Shego nodded stiffly as she shut the closet door and turned to Kim. She knew Kim had a right to be angry. "Yes, I did. Though, in defense of the whole situation, my seeing him as a buffoon ended the day of the volcano explosion."

Kim looked incredulously between the two. "What _did_ happen? I thought you both died when Drakken and I got separated from you two. I considered myself lucky to have saved Drakken. Had I known you two hadn't died..."

"Uh-uh!" Shego warned, raising a finger at the redhead before she could continue. "I know you, Kimmie. You did everything you could to save us. If you'd done anything more, you would have gotten you and Doctor D killed. You did the right thing, as much as it probably hurt."

Kim sighed. Shego could sense a mixture of sadness, frustration, and anger in the sigh.

Finally Kim looked up at Ron. "How did you guys survive? And why am I just finding out five years later?"

Ron took a deep breath. "Well, it's probably best to start from when you thought you lost us..."

* * *

_Sounds of deep rumbling woke Shego. It was dark. Her surroundings were lit only by a pale blue light. Sitting up and rubbing at the pain in her neck, she looked around. What she saw shocked her._

_Kim Possible's sidekick, Ron Stoppable, was standing there, in the middle of the room. Pale blue energy flickered violently around his body as the sounds of a thousand distant monkeys chittered in the background. Ron seemed to be straining from holding up the ceiling of the cavern they were in._

"_Stoppable?" Shego breathed quietly, watching Ron in shocked fascination. His mission gear shirt was torn to shreds, so Shego could see Ron's tight, track athlete-like muscles pulse under the strain of his task. _

_Ron stumbled slightly, regaining his footing and getting better leverage for his task._

"_Shego," Ron grunted, looking up to see the villainess' eyes. Crystal blue eyes. They were so different from his light brown eyes when his powers were active. They literally commanded Shego's attention. "I don't know how much longer I can do this. It feels like I'm holding up the whole mountain."_

"_That's probably because you _are _holding up the whole damn mountain, sidekick," Shego growled, trying to shake off what was going through her head. "Just keep doing that. I've got an idea."_

_As quickly as she could, Shego ran to a nearby slab of rock and, with a grunt, tilted it up and wedged it like a pillar between the ceiling and the floor. She then turned to look at Ron. The sweat that was dripping off of his chin and down his neck spoke volumes for the heat and exertion that the boy was enduring._

And Kimmie takes that for granted_**,** Shego thought irately to herself before shaking herself from her stupor and running to another rock slab._

_It took several minutes, but Shego managed to set up eight or nine makeshift pillars around the cavern. Finally, she turned to the beleaguered sidekick. "Okay, Stoppable. This is the moment of truth. Either we're dead or we're not. Let go."_

_At that, Ron collapsed onto the ground, falling to his hands and knees with his breath heavy and forced. Shego winced as the weight of an entire volcanic mountain settled loudly onto the series of makeshift pillars._

_Much to Shego's grateful surprise, the pillars held firm. She and Ron didn't die._

_Shego walked over to Ron and knelt beside him. She gently stroked his back for a moment before patting it softly._

"_Much as I hate to say it," Shego said, smiling softly, "you did good, sidekick. Had it not been for your quick thinking, we'd both be dead."_

"_Well, you saved us, too," Ron panted, shaking his head from what Shego assumed was the haze of exhaustion. "Propping those pillars and all..."_

"_Well, I figured there was only so much one man could do, superpowers or no," Shego admitted. "And I didn't want to die."_

_Ron smirked back at Shego. "Neither did I."_

_Shego chuckled at that. "Well, believe you me, once we get out of here, Doctor D is getting an earful from me about this little stunt."_

"_Yeah," Ron sighed. "Kim saved Drakken... but not us."_

_Shego sneered at the blond boy at that point. "Grow the fuck up, sidekick. Kimmie did what she could. I saw it. She was running towards us. Mother Nature told her to go fuck off. She couldn't get to us without getting herself killed in the process."_

"_I'm sorry, Shego," Ron panted, looked down at the floor. Sweat was still dripping from his face. "I... My biggest fear, after our junior prom, was that Kim would eventually leave me, that I couldn't keep up with her. It just feels like that time has come."_

_Shego closed her eyes and sighed. After considering Ron's words for a few moments, she looked back at the hero. "First off, fuck Kimmie."_

_Ron shot a shocked glance at Shego before blinking twice in disbelief._

"_Seriously," Shego continued. "Think about it, Stoppable. Kim Possible, The Girl Who Can Do Anything. Except she dragged you around everywhere. Did you think she did it because she was hot for your dick?"_

"_No!" Ron snapped, leaning back into a sitting position and glaring at Shego while blushing fiercely. "We... we were best friends since pre-K. Sex with me was the _last _thing on her mind. She wanted me around because I was her _friend_**.**"_

"_No, she did it because she _needed _you to _succeed_," Shego snapped back. "As much of a buffoon as you are, you still have that dumb luck thing going on... that Ron Factor, as I think you call it."_

"_And I was her friend," Ron repeated firmly._

"_Fine," Shego sighed, waving her hand dismissively. "If it helps you sleep better at night, keep on believing it. But, think about it. Realistically, you should have gotten the both of you killed several times due to your dumbassery. Instead, your dumb luck helped her save the day time and again. She needed your luck in order to keep her Do Anything reputation going."_

_Ron growled at Shego and started to stand up. The pale blue energy, which had been slowly dying off as Ron had rested, suddenly spiked back to life._

"_Woah, woah, woah," Shego soothed, placing her hands on Ron's shoulders and gently pushing him back down into a sitting position. "Calm yourself, cowboy. You're in no shape to take me on in a fight after that stunt you just pulled." She then paused for a moment before adding more softly, "Thank you for that, by the way."_

_That deflated Ron's anger quite quickly, causing his blue aura to fizzle out. Did Shego really just thank him for something?_

"_Hey, can you keep that blue glow up?" Shego asked suddenly, looking at Ron in the darkness. Her emerald green eyes seemed to glow softly in the pitch blackness of the cave. "We have no source of light and my plasma will eat up our oxygen."_

"_I'll do you one better," Ron replied, reaching into one of his belt pouches. He pulled out a small rod, bent it slightly until he heard it snap, and then shook it. A pale yellow light filled the room._

"_A glow stick," Shego smiled. "Nice. Won't that only last a couple of hours, though?"_

"_Not these," Ron replied, placing the glow stick on the ground. "Wade made them, so they glow brighter and last longer. This one should last about twenty-four hours or so."_

"_Good. Now, secondly," Shego said, leaning over and tracing a clawed finger along Ron's exposed abs leading up to the bottoms of his pecs. They were not bulky or massive; they were more defined than anything else. "How the hell could Kimmie _not _think about sex if she's seen these?"_

"_What?" Ron gasped, suddenly covering himself up and blushing furiously._

_Shego smirked contentedly before leaning back and standing up._

"_My point, Stoppable," Shego said as she walked to one of the walls of the cavern, pulled off her gloves, and starting to feel along them with her hands, "is that if you feel you have to work so damned hard to meet her standards, maybe she's not the one for you."_

_Ron cocked a brow as she considered the villainess' words._

"_You guys already see me as an evil bitch, so these words won't change my image," Shego continued. "But think about it. She can do everything herself but she drags you around everywhere like some piece of luggage. Like some sort of fashion accessory. She doesn't show proper appreciation for your feelings for her until Doctor D and I nearly break her with an inflatable doll. And you still feel afraid that you're not enough for her."_

_Ron sighed and looked away._

_Shego, who was still searching the walls, didn't see the gesture, but heard the sigh. "Just give it some thought, sidekick. If you want to be happy, you need to take responsibility for your own happiness. Don't depend on other people's opinions for that happiness."_

_Ron thought about that for a moment. "You don't, do you?"_

"_Hell, no!" Shego laughed without turning around. "I do what I want and everyone else can just go fuck off. I may be one of the villains you have to stop constantly, but I'm happy. Are you?"_

_Ron couldn't answer that question. All he could do was stare at Shego as she continued to search the wall._

_Shego never turned around to see what Ron was doing. But she could feel his eyes on her. In response, she wiggled her butt at him. "Like what you see, Stoppable?"_

_The loud gulping sound Shego could hear from Ron's direction gave her all of the satisfaction she needed._

"_Well, um, yeah," Ron stammered, turning three shades of red. "I mean, um, you're an adult woman in a catsuit. You... you have a nice body. You're really beautiful, actually."_

_Shego paused in her search and turned to consider both Ron and his statement. "Really? You think so?"_

"_Have since we first met," Ron replied, growing a little braver. "When Wade showed us your mug shot right before we stopped you and Drakken for the first time, Wade said you were wanted in eleven countries. I told him it was twelve."_

_Shego looked at Ron for a few moments before she smirked. "You know, if you'd said that to my face back then, I'd've probably laughed my ass off at you."_

"_Story of my life," Ron sighed. "I don't blame you, though. I was a scrawny little fifteen year old back then."_

"_And you're what now?" Shego asked, turning back to the wall. "Seventeen?"_

"_Eighteen," Ron corrected. "My birthday was last month."_

"_And you've grown up a bit since then," Shego admitted, continuing along the wall. "You got into football, right? It shows."_

"_Um, thanks?" Ron said uneasily. Then he changed the subject. "By the way, what _are _you doing?"_

"_Feeling for breezes," Shego replied without turning back. "I'm not expecting to find any. But if I do find one, I'll know the closest way out of this mess."_

"_Any way I can help?" Ron asked._

"_You did your part by not letting that mountain drop on us," Shego said, using a softer tone than Ron was used to Shego using. "Get some rest, Stoppable. If I do find the spot, I'll need your help clearing a path."_

"_Fair enough," Ron replied as he laid down on the ground and closed his eyes._

"_I wouldn't do it now, by the way," Shego suddenly said after a few moments._

"_What? Sleep?" Ron asked, panicked, as he sat quickly back up._

"_No, buffoon," Shego laughed. "I wouldn't laugh at you if you said that pick-up line to me now."_

"_Oh," Ron sighed in relief. He laid back down and closed his eyes again._

_Shego kept feeling along the wall until she thought she heard Ron breathing rhythmically, naturally. After a few more moments, Shego's hands found a crack in the wall and she could feel a slight breeze coming from it._

"_Bingo," Shego whispered softly to herself._

"_You _are _wanted in twelve countries, by the way," Ron's voice suddenly said._

_Shego spun around and looked at Ron incredulously for a moment. Thankfully, his back was turned to her as he lay on the ground, otherwise he would have seen how off guard he'd caught Shego. After a few moments, Shego recovered herself and chuckled._

"_Heh. Get some sleep, Casanova," Shego purred. "I've got work to do and I don't need the distraction."_

_Ron laughed softly at that before he settled into a sound sleep._

_Shego paused for a few moments to consider Ron as he slept. The man... and yes, Shego was willing to acknowledge him as one now... had just stopped an entire mountain from killing them. And yet Kim insisted in treating him like the lesser of the two of them. Shego didn't know what values the Doctors Possible were teaching her, but when Shego grew up, she was taught that the man and the woman in a relationship were equals. And Stoppable would do anything for Kim._

_Shego wished she had a man as dedicated to her as Ron was to Kim._

_Shego turned back to the wall. "Well, it will all be a moot point if I don't do my part now," Shego whispered to herself. _

_With that, she lit her hands with pale green plasma flames and began cutting her way into the wall._

* * *

_Ron woke up several hours later. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, it took him only a moment to notice the soft sparking sound coming from a distance. He turned to the direction of a pale green light that contrasted with the glow stick's light and noticed that there was now a tunnel where none had been before. The pale green light flickered from deeper within the tunnel as the sparking sounds met with the sound of tumbling pebbles._

_Ron stood up and walked towards the tunnel. A few steps before he reached the tunnel, he stepped on something soft. Looking down, he noticed Shego's gloves were lying on the ground. He picked one up and considered it a moment. In the beginning, when he and Kim first started fighting Shego and Drakken, everyone thought that Shego's green glow had been a product of these gloves. It wasn't until over a year later that he and Kim learned that not only was the glow a superpower that Shego possessed, but she had four brothers who possessed similar powers. Ron tenderly touched the tip of one of the glove's claws and snapped his hand back quickly, shaking it in pain. Shego certainly kept those things sharp!_

_Dropping the glove, Ron stepped further towards the tunnel. As he reached the tunnel's entrance, he gazed inside and was shocked at what he saw._

_In the time that Ron had been asleep, Shego had been able to cut a good forty, maybe fifty, feet into the side of the mountain. Impressive, given that Ron was fairly certain he hadn't been asleep for _that _long._

_More damning, at least in Ron's mind, was Shego's current appearance. Focusing the plasma flames on clearing the rock had obviously made the immediate area uncomfortably hot. Shego had shrugged the top of her catsuit off of her shoulders and had tied it around her waist, exposing the sheer black camisole she wore underneath it. Sweat had drenched her skin, giving it a sheen that was intriguing in the pale green light. And the camisole was soaked and was clinging to her skin. Every time Shego hauled her hand back to strike another blow at the rock, Ron could clearly see the contours of Shego's breasts and the slight swell where her nipples were. Shego continued in her work, apparently oblivious to Ron's presence._

_All sorts of thoughts ran through Ron's mind. But he took a deep breath and counted silently until those thoughts were under control. He glanced down at his shredded mission shirt, shook his head, and shrugged it off. He tossed the useless shirt aside and then stepped forward._

_Shego, suddenly aware that _someone _was behind her, snapped around into a fighting stance, startling Ron and making him stumble back a step. Once Shego realized it was Ron, her steely glare softened and she stood up from her fighting stance._

"_Stoppable," Shego sighed in relief. "You're awake. Good. How are you feeling?"_

_Ron stepped up next to Shego as the villainess turned back to her work. "Probably better than you now that you've done all of this."_

"_Sheh," Shego huffed pleasantly as she lit her hands and began cutting the rock again. "This is nothing. You should have seen some of the shit Doctor D made me do at some of the more exotic lairs. I was usually lounging around when you kids broke in because all of the hard work was already done and I was exhausted."_

"_Given Drakken's tiny hands," Ron joked as he grabbed a large stone that Shego had just freed and tossed it away, "I can only imagine what little good he was in the manual labor department."_

"_Drewbie had an A+ rating at HenchCo due to all of the business he gave them," Shego laughed. She then glanced at Ron. "Ditched the shirt, finally?"_

_Ron laughed. "Well, if you're willing to give me a show, I might as well give you one, too."_

_Shego looked at Ron queerly for a moment before glancing down and noticing her condition. She couldn't help but laugh at herself at that point. "Well played, Stoppable. Well played. And very thoughtful, too. You're not beefed up like most of the men I've romped with, but you're not exactly hard on the eyes either. I can accept this trade."_

_Ron smiled knowingly at Shego and then turned to the wall. "Here, let me help out with this."_

"_I was hoping you would," Shego admitted, wiping some sweat from her brow and looking at the wall herself. "But what will you do? Use that blue glow of yours to punch at the wall?"_

"_I'll see you the Mystical Monkey Power strength and raise you something really cool," Ron replied. With that, he breathed in deeply and focused his mind._

_Shego was shocked when a golden katana, with a golden glow, suddenly materialized in Ron's hand._

"_What in the hell is that?" Shego breathed, admiring the blade._

"_It's called the Lotus Blade," Ron replied, lifting it up as if to show Shego. "It's a secret weapon of incredible power, entrusted to the safety of the Yamanouchi ninja clan centuries ago. As the prophesized master of the Mystical Monkey Powers, I am the only one who can wield this blade."_

"_It's a secret and you just told _me_?" Shego asked in disbelief._

"_An executive decision I just made," Ron said. "Yeah, I wasn't supposed to let anyone outside of the clan know. But I had to make a decision between keeping the secret or potentially dying here if you drove yourself into exhaustion doing all of the work yourself. I chose to live."_

_Shego nodded knowingly. "Smart choice, if you ask me. So, can this thing handle this rock?"_

"_It sure can," Ron smiled, stepping back. "But, like men themselves, with something like this, size really does matter."_

_With that, Ron thrust the Lotus Blade back. As he did, it transformed into a long pole, about eight feet in length. Ron spun the staff around and thrust it down and forward. When he did, a halberd-like blade head appeared at the end of the pole, sizing about the size of his upper torso._

"_Woah!" Shego gasped, stepping back to give Ron room. "I wish all men could grow their weapon like that."_

_Ron chuckled at the innuendo. "Think that's badass? Watch this."_

_Ron spun the polearm-shaped Lotus Blade and struck at the wall with a viciousness that sent shivers down Shego's spine. Smoke exploded into the air from where Ron struck the rock. When the smoke cleared, chunks of rock had been splintered from the wall. Shego's guess was that the single blow from the Lotus Blade had done as much work as a half-hour of her plasma cutting through the rock._

"_Okay, Ron, I'll admit, that was impressive," Shego said, admiring the results. "Very impressive."_

_Ron stood up from his post strike stance and looked at Shego curiously._

"_What?" Shego asked, raising a brow at Ron's curious look. "Does my soaked undershirt have your attention that much? I can take it off if it's that much of a distraction, you know."_

"_No," Ron replied simply. That's when Shego noticed it. Ron wasn't looking at her breasts. He was looking at her eyes. "You just called me Ron. Only one other villain ever called me by my first name. In fact, I think I've heard you use my last name more in the last day or so than I have in the entire four years we've known each other."_

_Shego smirked, trying to hide the soft smile that almost crept across her face. "Well, Ron Stoppable, I think the last day or so has earned you the right to finally have your name remembered."_

"_Thanks," Ron said, smiling. "That means a lot to me, Shego. Now, how's about we find ourselves some fresh air before your flaming green hotness threatens to smother us both."_

"_Oooh!" Shego purred, obviously pleased with the double entendre. "Giving as good as you get. I'm lovin' it. Okay, Ron, I'm game. Let's get out of here."_

_With that, Ron turned and began striking at the wall with the Lotus Blade while Shego began tossing plasma blasts at the wall. Between the two of them, they began making quick work of the wall._

* * *

_Ron and Shego walked down the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It turned out that the volcano had been on an island several hundred miles off the coast of the Leeward Islands. Once the two of them had made it to fresh air, they spent a week fishing and gathering, replenishing their strength, and building a sturdy raft. Using the Lotus Blade as an oar, the two of them were able to cross the ocean to the nearest island, Barbados. From there, it was relatively simple to cross the other islands until they reached Puerto Rico._

_The whole trip could have been a lot simpler. But Ron's Kimmunicator had been irreparably damaged by the volanco's attempt to kill the two of them. So Ron had no means of contacting Kim or Wade. Instead, the two of them relied on Shego's criminal contacts as they navigated the Leeward Islands. By the time they had reache the Virgin Islands, off of the coast of Puerto Rico, Shego had scored the two of them better civilian clothes meant to disguise their identities as they entered the American-controlled territory._

_The two of them walked down a commercial street of San Juan, window shopping at the various local shops. As far as anyone could tell, Ron and Shego were two tourists, probably a couple, enjoying the city. In a small way, it was the truth. After having been trapped in a volcano for almost four days, trapped on an island for a week, and then traveling to San Juan for over three weeks, both of them were ready to enjoy life a little bit rather than fight its obstacles every day. They would stop by a shop, admire the wares, talk shop with the owner (that Ron knew Spanish impressed Shego), and then move on. Every once in a while, Shego would buy a trinket and model it for Ron, not cluing a soul that she was using money she had stockpiled in an offshore bank account with what she'd earned as Drakken's sidekick. Ron would smile appreciatively and compliment Shego, which would elicit a smile from the villianess. Then they would be on their way._

_Ron and Shego passed by an electronics store with televisions on display in the main window. Both of them stopped cold when they noticed that the televisions were airing a press conference._

_A press conference held by Kim Possible._

_On the television screens, Kim stepped up to a podium and cleared her throat. It was clear to both Shego and Ron that what Kim was about to say pained her deeply._

"_Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Kim began, "thank you for attending. As most of you already know, it has been nearly two months since the incident that led to the deaths of Ron Stoppable and Shego and the apprehension of the criminal mastermind, Doctor Drakken."_

"_Except we're still alive, Princess," Shego chortled softly, prompting a brief glance from Ron._

"_While Doctor Drakken remains in incarceration," Kim continued, "probably due in no small part to the fact that Shego cannot break him out of jail this time..."_

_This made Shego guffaw momentarily. Ron smirked chastisingly at the villainess, reached over, and took her hand to signal for her to calm down. His intent was to remind her that they needed to remain incognito due to her criminal record. Instead, Shego noticed Ron's hand fold into hers and her eyes grew wide for a moment. When Shego looked up and saw Ron's stern but gentle glare, she nodded softly and turned back to the television screens. Much to Ron's surprise, when he tried to pull his hand away, Shego kept a hold of it and squeezed it gently._

"_...other villains continue to plague our safety and freedom," Kim said, obviously oblivious to what was happening halfway across the hemisphere. "Duff Killigan, Professor Dementor, Monkey Fist, Señor Senior Sr., and many others continue to pose a threat to all of us. Thankfully, the world has a friend in the worldwide law enforcement agency known as Global Justice."_

_Shego humphed at that. "Like those two-bit Keystone Cops wannabes can do a fraction of the job that you and Kimmie did," she whispered softly._

_Ron smiled softly at the compliment._

"_But I still wish to do my part in securing the safety of the world," Kim said, her olive green eyes suddenly taking on an air of purpose and determination. "My best friend and, for a period of time all too brief, boyfriend, Ron Stoppable, may have made the ultimate sacrifice to see Drakken put away for life. But I would do his memory disservice if I were to give up now. With that in mind, I have chosen to continue to be Kim Possible, The Girl Who Can Do Anything. Call me, beep me, when you want to reach me. I will be there. I will save the world."_

_The virtual audience at Kim's end of the transmission exploded in applause._

_Shego was smirking at that, trying her best to not laugh at it all. Kim was playing the crowd perfectly. Little Miss Perfect just lost the love of her life, but by damn she was going to carry on in spite of her incredible loss. What a true hero. Whatever! This was comedy gold!_

_But then Shego glanced over at Ron and noticed the tears welling up in Ron's eyes. In spite of herself, Shego squeezed Ron's hand again, to remind him that she was there with him._

_Ron glanced over and smiled sadly. "This is just like KP, Shego," he said softly. "She doesn't give up for anything. I figured my death would hit her hard, but that she'd bounce back in time to save the day when the world needed her most. I can't help but be proud of her."_

"_But you're not dead," Shego replied back. "We're both not dead. I know she doesn't know that, but come on. Don't you think she's moving a bit fast?"_

_Ron shook his head. "Would a Marine spend months grieving over the death of another soldier when there's a mission to be done?"_

_Shego bit her lip on that one. It was a bit extreme, but Ron had a point. Saving the world was Kim's life calling, just like protecting the country was a Marine's life calling. Kim couldn't afford to mope around when other villains were out threatening to take over the world._

"_If there is one thing I have learned, though," Kim said, her voice suddenly somber, "is that I cannot do this alone. I may be the Girl Who Can Do Anything, but I always had Ron at my back the whole time."_

She knew_, Shego thought to herself. _She wasn't taking Ron for granted.

_Shego turned to Ron and noticed that Ron was actually beginning to cry. At that point, Shego couldn't help herself. She pulled Ron into an embrace and held onto him tight. Part of her mind was screaming at her for being so soft, but another part of her mind reminded her that she..._

_She... what? Why was it important to her to comfort Ron? If she was being possessive, why was she being possessive of Ron?_

"_So, now that I've given myself a chance to grieve and have now realized it is time to move on," Kim said, regaining her determined voice, "I have reached out to someone I feel is the only person who could ever possibly take over where Ron left off in Team Possible."_

_Both Shego and Ron blinked and pulled apart slightly to look at the screen._

"_Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Kim said, turning to the side, "may I please present to you my new partner in Team Possible. Yori Kobayashi."_

_Another explosion of applause erupted from the television screens as an attractive Japanese woman approached the podium._

"_Konnichiwa," Yori said into the microphone, bowing respectfully to the cameras and the virtual audience before her. "It is an honor to meet you all."_

_Kim approached the podium beside Yori and placed a gentle hand on Yori's shoulder. "Yori has training in combat and stealth that will make her a perfect complement to my own skills. Together, we will revive the tradition of Team Possible and help Global Justice bring these villains to justice."_

_As yet another explosion of applause erupted, Shego couldn't help but look at the televisions with an incredulous look on her face. _

"_And just like that, she replaced you," Shego breathed._

"_It's been almost two months, Shego," Ron corrected, taking a step away from the villainess and looking at her. "She's had time to grieve and to come to a decision about herself and her life. I'm happy she didn't use me as an excuse to mope around and waste her life away. She knows what makes her happy in life and she's taking that life by the horns."_

"_That's... true...," Shego agreed tentatively. She looked back at the screen where Kim and Yori were waving to all of the photographers taking pictures._

"_It's kind of liberating, in fact," Ron continued, turning to follow Shego's gaze to the television screens. "You said that I had to take responsibility for my own happiness and not let anyone, including Kim, rule it. It's time now. It's my turn to take life by the horns."_

"_Are you going to at least let her know you're alive?" Shego asked, turning back to Ron._

_Ron shook his head. "That I don't know yet. Maybe I'll avoid that. I mean, she's made her peace with my death and moved on. Even if I did return to her and let her know what really happened, things won't ever be the same again."_

"_That's true," Shego said, nodding softly. "What will you do, then?"_

"_I don't know yet," Ron admitted, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe move to San Francisco or Miami or something under an assumed identity and open up a restaurant or something. Cooking has always made me happy. And now that I'm no long in Kim's shadow, I can start doing the things that make me happy. I thought being with Kim would make me happy. But you're right. I need to pursue life on my own terms, not hers. I just... I just haven't figured out how I'm going to reach my goals yet."_

_Shego smirked softly at the young man. "You've spent so long relying on your Ron Factor that you've never really planned anything out from start to finish?"_

_Ron winced at that accusation. "You actually know me about as well as KP if you can say something like that."_

"_The difference between Kimmie and me," Shego said, reaching a hand out to Ron, "is that I'm willing to teach you how to start doing that planning, not rely on your Ron Factor and pull you along on a leash."_

"_You would do that? For me?" Ron asked, surprised._

"_Doy!" Shego laughed. "I owe you my life, after all. And I'm sure as hell not planning on breaking Drakken back out after he tried to kill us all like that."_

"_Good," Ron grinned. "Cause I'd hate to have to kick your ass after we worked so well together."_

"_We do work well together, don't we, Ron?" Shego said softly, her emerald eyes meeting his light brown eyes._

"_Yeah, we do," Ron agreed. "When you're not being a bitch and I'm not letting my pants drop."_

_Before Ron could react, Shego suddenly snatched Ron by the front of his shirt and pulled him into a ferocious kiss. At first, Ron was in complete shock. In fact, he had only relaxed slightly when Shego finally broke the kiss._

"_Shego?"_

"_I'm not apologizing if that was too forward," Shego growled, looking into Ron's eyes with a ferocity he'd not seen before. "I've been wanting to do that ever since I first saw you shirtless and you trusted me with the knowledge of the Lotus Blade. And I'm not one to drop subtle hints."_

"_I'm just upset," Ron breathed, trying to keep eye contact with the villainess, "that I can't possibly be anywhere near as good of a kisser as you are."_

_Shego's expression softened as the words sank in. "Well, Ron, that's something you have to learn with experience."_

"_Something you're willing to teach me?" Ron cocked a brow as he spoke. Despite the question, there was an air of confidence in Ron's demeanor. It was almost as if he knew the answer and was just asking to toy with Shego._

"_What do you think the answer is, Ron?" Shego asked, daring him to answer._

_Ron answered by suddenly grabbing Shego and, with a strength she would not have expected from someone of his build had she not known about his Mystical Monkey Powers, pulled her back into a kiss. This time, Ron led the kiss and Shego quickly melted into it. It lasted for several minutes while other people milled around them, paying them little mind. As the kiss progressed, Shego wrapped her arm around Ron's neck and held him tight._

"_Thank you for your support!" Kim's voice drifted from the nearby televisions. "Thanks to you, Team Possible lives to fight evil another day!"_

* * *

"After that," Ron said as he continued his story, "Shelly and I moved here to Miami. She used her offshore account to buy her image inducer and give us a financial base, but after that, she gave up crime and helped me get a new identity and open up my restaurant. She helps me run the restaurant during the week and also manages a foreign stock portfolio she bought into using one of her aliases. We eventually realized that we really did have feelings for each other and got married. We recently..."

Ron's story was cut short as a hand struck him across the face with the force of falling meteorite. Ron's head jerked to the side violently. Slowly, he placed a hand on the offended cheek as he turned to gaze at the woman who had just slapped him.

Kim Possible.

Shego, in spite of the fact that her husband had just been assaulted, kept a passive stance. But Ron knew better. And he knew that Kim knew better. Shego was ready to strike if Kim got too out of hand.

"Five years!" Kim yelled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I thought you were dead for five mother fucking years! I've been drinking myself into a coma twice a week because I couldn't handle the pain! All because you _thought_ I'd made peace with your death and had moved on within a couple of weeks? What, did you see Shego's tits and decide you _had _to get in her pants and get your dick wet?"

"Kimmie," Shego growled, shifting her feet slightly. "You know for a damned fact that's not what it was."

Kim spun and pointed angrily at Shego. "And you! Shelly, right? You poisoned Ron's mind with lies about how I mistreated him and took him for granted! I loved him, Shego! _Loved him!_ I would have never taken him for granted like that! Ever!"

Shego shrugged at that. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Princess."

Ron held up his hands in a gesture intended to calm both women. "KP, quit yelling. Please. I know you're mad and you have a right to be. But you'll..."

"I'll yell if I damned well want to, you fucking jackass!" Kim screamed in Ron's face. "I don't give a fuck if you're in an penthouse and the downstairs neighbors call the police! Bring the police! I can tell them how Shego has been a wanted fugitive in hiding for over five years! And that you've been accessory to her evading arrest for...!"

Suddenly a shrill wailing cut through the air from somewhere down the hallway. This made Kim stop in mid-sentence, literally standing like a frozen statue, her eyes wide as saucer plates.

"I'll go get him," Shego sighed, moving past Ron and walking down the hallway.

"That's why I was asking you not to yell, KP," Ron said softly, patiently. "Riley was asleep."

"Riley?" Kim breathed, her posture softening as she stepped back away from Ron.

Moments later, Shego reappeared from the hallway. In her arms was a little baby boy, probably no more than a couple of months old, nestled warmly on Shego's shoulder.

"Good morning, sweetie," Shego cooed softly at the baby. "Were you a good boy for Daddy while Mommy was out? I can tell Daddy kept you well fed, that's for sure. You feel so heavy."

Kim couldn't help herself. She carefully stepped around Ron and Shego to get a better view of the baby. He had light tan skin, much like Ron's, and shared his mouth and his light brown eyes. But he had Shego's nose, cheeks, and raven black hair.

"Ron," Kim breathed, softly, almost reverently. "You and Shego had a baby? He's... so beautiful."

"Isn't he, though?" Shego said, smiling as she rocked her body gently. "He's the main reason I seem so soft nowadays. I didn't think people were serious about motherhood changing a woman until I had my own baby."

"He's our little pride and joy," Ron agreed. "We have a neighbor watch him during the day while Shego and I work at the restaurant. She's like a grandmother to Riley and she's very sweet to him. But at nights, we spend as much time as we can with him."

Kim smiled softly at Ron, her anger completely evaporated. "I've never seen you so proud of anything in my life, Ron. It looks good on you."

"You should have seen him on our wedding day," Shego laughed. "I didn't know if he wanted to stand tall or bolt like a rabbit."

"I needed to use the restroom, that's all," Ron mumbled, eliciting a soft laugh from Shego.

"He is so cute, though," Kim reiterated as she gazed back at Riley. "Hey, little guy. I'm sorry I was yelling. I'm just a little tipsy. Mommy and Daddy aren't really in trouble."

"Do you want to hold him, Kimmie?" Shego asked, turning to offer the baby to the redhead.

Kim's eyes grew wide. "What? I mean, after what I just did? You're willing to...?"

"Who was voted the best babysitter in Middleton for four years straight back in high school?" Ron countered.

"Good point," Kim said, finally agreeing. "I've got this. Come here, sweetheart."

With that, Shego leaned forward slightly and let Kim lift Riley up off of her shoulder. Kim gently brought the baby to her own shoulder and snuggled him softly. Riley fussed gently for a second but quickly settled into Kim's shoulder.

"Wow," Shego said appreciatively. "I've never seen Riley so quiet in anyone's arms but ours and Margaret's. You really are as much of a natural at this as Ron claims you are."

Kim rose a brow at Ron at that as she gently rocked Riley.

"We still talk about you sometimes," Ron admitted. "Both Shelly and I miss you a lot. For different reasons, of course."

"I think I've lost my fighting edge because I haven't fought you for five years," Shego laughed.

Kim sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm sorry for not being able to rescue you. I'm sorry for moving on so quickly. I should have had faith in you, Ron. You were half of Team Possible. I should have known that you would have survived."

"Don't be sorry, KP," Ron said softly. "Things happened as they did and now we're moving forward. Shelly and I have a happy life now. Don't you think it's time for you to have one, too?"

Kim smiled softly at him. "You're right. It is time for me to have a happy life."

Kim turned and gently handed Riley back to Shego, who took him and cradled him to her shoulder again. Kim then turned back to Ron.

"Thank you for inviting me over and putting up with my bullshit," Kim said, nodding to Ron. "I better be heading back to my hotel now. Yori wants me to attend a meeting tomorrow and all, so..."

"Not in the condition you're in, you're not, Cupcake," Shego warned, gently but firmly. "You're staying the night. You'll be sober in the morning and I can get you back to the hotel in time for your meeting."

"But, I...," Kim started to argue.

"No buts," Ron said with a firmness that Kim would never have expected from Ron now, let alone five years ago. "Let me get some bedding and you can sleep on the couch. But we're all getting some food in our stomachs first."

"Okay," Kim said, smiling weakly. "I won't argue against the food. Especially your cooking."

"Good," Ron smiled. "So let's get you settled in and get dinner served."

* * *

Shego yawned and shuffled out of her and Ron's bedroom. It was 6 o'clock in the morning, but that was nothing new to Shego anymore. After Riley was born, Shego knew her days of sleeping in until noon were long gone. What was weird was that Shego had woken naturally on her own, out of habit of having to be up at that hour. She hadn't been woke up by Riley's fussing.

In fact, Riley was blissfully quiet.

Ron was up and about, too, heading to the kitchen to start breakfast and get coffee brewing. So Shego moved to Riley's bedroom to check in on him and find out why he was so quiet. Part of Shego, a dreadful part of her, feared the worst.

A moment later, Shego yelled out from Riley's bedroom.

"Ronald! Riley is missing!"

"I think there's a reason for that, dear."

Shego came rushing out into the hallway, where she saw Ron leaning against the wall and looking into the living room. As Shego approached, she looked over Ron's shoulder and saw Riley asleep on the couch, snuggled up in Kim's arms under Kim's blanket. Kim was also sound asleep.

"KP must have got him in the middle of the night while he was fussing," Ron guessed as Shego draped her arms around her husband and admired the scene. "It looks like he has a clean diaper and he looks content."

"You did say she was a good babysitter," Shego admitted. "She was probably on autopilot the moment she heard him fuss."

Ron nodded his agreement. "Well, let's wake them up and get them ready for breakfast."

"You've got Riley, I've got Kimmie?" Shego asked.

"Well, I'm certainly not going to change KP, that's for sure," Ron laughed.

Shego chuckled at the joke before turning Ron around and kissing him soundly.

On the couch, a crooked smile crept across Kim's allegedly sleeping face.

* * *

Kim ran down the hallway. Reaching into her pants for perhaps the hundredth time, she was relieved to find the keycard still in her pocket. She unlocked the door and let herself in.

As she closed the door behind her, a figure strolled out of the bathroom in front of her. Dressed in only a towel, wrapping a second towel around her hair, Kim's partner, Yori, turned to look at the redhead.

"Ah, Kim-san," Yori smiled. "You have returned. How did your night go? I did not expect you to be gone all night."

Kim smiled apologetically to the young ninja. "I'm sorry, Yori. Things went... differently... then I expected."

"Then the dancer I had seen in that club was indeed Shego-san?" Yori asked, stepping up to the redhead.

Kim nodded softly. "It was indeed her. Not only that, but she knew where Ron was."

Yori's eyes went wide on that. "I knew that he was alive! Yet, you did not believe me!"

"I should have believed you," Kim agreed. "I... I just didn't believe the story about the Lotus Blade and how it had been summoned after I thought Ron had died."

"It would be your honor to believe me more in the future," Yori laughed. "So, where was Ron-kun?"

Kim steeled herself for this part. "Back at Shego's penthouse. With his and Shego's son."

Yori's jaw dropped at that. "Ron-kun and Shego-san are..."

"Husband and wife," Kim admitted. "And Riley is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen."

"How old?" Yori asked, suddenly curious.

"Not even five months yet," Kim replied. "I accidentally woke him up yelling at Ron. I was so angry to find out that he was alive and never bothered to return to me..."

"Well, Shego-san's boobs are indeed larger than yours, Kim-san," Yori teased.

"Yori Kobayashi!" Kim yelped. She made to swat playfully at the young ninja, but Yori easily dodged the blow.

Yori quickly sobered, though, as she considered Kim. "You were yelling at Ron-kun. You were drunk again, weren't you?"

Kim stiffened slightly. She knew what she was about to get. "Yes... I was. Ten shots of vodka, according to Shego."

"Kimberly Ann Possible!" Yori gasped, then sighed and shook her head. "This makes the meeting you're attending today all the more important."

"I know, I know," Kim breathed. "I just... I..."

"Kim-san?" Yori asked, taking Kim's chin and guiding it so that her chocolate-kissed eyes met Kim's olive green eyes.

"I guess I'm ready to move on now," Kim finally said. "I... I didn't want to before, but now I can. I can let Ron go, knowing that he's alive and happy. He's with a woman who loves and appreciates him. He even turned her away from crime, something I've been wanting to do since I first met her. And they have the most beautiful baby boy. It's time for me to let him have his happiness and for me to pursue mine."

"That is good to hear, Kim-san," Yori smiled. "Does that mean you will no longer venture into clubs and drink yourself sick again?"

"I promise I'll never do that again," Kim said firmly. "I don't need it anymore."

"Thank you, Kim-san," Yori breathed, pulling Kim into a warm embrace.

"No, thank you, Yori," Kim sighed, wrapping her arms around the young Japanese woman. "Thank you for waiting for me."

Yori looked back into Kim's eyes before pressing her lips firmly onto Kim's lips. The two women kissed deeply for several moments before Yori broke the kiss and nestled her head onto Kim's shoulder.

"It was my honor to wait for you, Kim-san," Yori said softly. "An honor I bore proudly."

Kim smiled at that and patted Yori on her back. "Well, love, let me get a shower so you can get dressed. I have an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting you'd like me to attend, after all."

"Indeed you do, Kim-san," Yori smiled. "Indeed you do."

**[END IF WE EVER MEET AGAIN]**

**NOTE: **If you're liking this story, you might enjoy my other KP stories as well. If you haven't already, go to my profile and try out the TSOD Universe stories (_The Specter of Death_, _Robots & Redemption_, _Wedding Elements_, and _The Shadow of Infinity_), the SOC Road Trip stories (now lumped together in one _Storms Over Colorado _package) plus my new Chrono Trigger crossover story, _Chrono Sitch_.

If you read this story before April 20, 2013, I've made several changes:

* Shego no longer works at the club; she simply goes there to dance recreationally. Between her work at Ron's restaurant and her stock portfolio (which is what's left of her offshore bank account), she has no need to hold a second job.

* Shego and Ron live in a penthouse now, not a simple apartment. Shego's offshore bank account was more than enough to purchase the penthouse, buy the image inducer, create alternate identities, invest in the restaurant, and establish the stock portfolio.

* Ron's natural eye color is light brown, not crystal blue. I've corrected the text to account for this.

* A source of light has been established to account for how Ron and Shego were able to see in the cave after Ron's Mystical Monkey Powers died out.

* I've corrected several grammatical errors and clarified some text. I hope I caught it all.


End file.
